insecto
insect
noun een-SEHK-toh Less Common
Origin: From Latin insectum (notched), from insecare (to cut into), describing the segmented body.
Also means
bug
Usage Note
Insecto is the formal, zoological term; in everyday speech bicho (critter, bug) is more colloquial. Insecto is masculine despite most -o endings being predictably so — worth noting because learners sometimes reach for el insecta. The plural insectos is regular.
Examples
"Vimos muchos insectos cerca del río."
Natural Translation
We saw many insects near the river.
Related Words
Explore Spanish by topic